Talib Kweli tours for “Ear Drum”

Two and a half years after The Beautiful Struggle, nearly a year after it was first scheduled for release, three months after it leaked onto the Internet, and around a month from its most recent July 24 date, Talib Kweli’s third solo albumEardrumwill finally hit the streets via Warner Bros this month. Kicking off with a benediction from the great poet Sonia Sanchez, it finds Kweli collaborating with Jean Grae, Kanye West, UGK, Norah Jones, Roy Ayers, Lyfe Jennings, Musiq Soulchild and Justin Timberlake. As I’ve written before, it may be Kweli’s last chance at establishing a mainstream rap career.

Stakes are mad high, and Kweli deserves credit for putting in extra work. This month, in addition to reuniting with his Black Star partner Mos Def on the Rock the Bells tour, he’ll fulfill a number of spot dates around the country. The concerts will most likely be an appetizer to a full-fledged run later this year.